Which Brembo Pads?

[poll250 0]

I have a set of Boxster-S rear calipers on the front of my VR. I've been rather underwhelmed by there performance for the last 10 months and I think it's down the pads I'm using.

 

Does anyone know if the pads are the same for all 4-pot brembos? I'd imagine Boxster, Boxster-S rears, Ibiza and Leon Cupras are all the same pad, but what other ones will fit?

 

I've looked at Pagid Greys (RS15) but at £235 a set I think that's a bit of a stretch for now, so will probably get some DS2500s unless anyone has a better suggestion.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

LOL, here we go again with the Schitt VR6 brakes debate :lol:

 

Seriously though, it is a problem. Unfortunately throwing 4 pots and things onto the VR6 doesn't really give the pedal feel we're after. What we all want (and usually expect) is that modern car feeling of strong bite at the top of the pedal travel and then to be launched through the screen when really stamping on them.

 

I'm guessing yours are OK if you stand on them, but have a pretty long pedal lacking in feel at slow to moderate speeds?

 

Same with me and Mic_VR and our AP Racing 304mm kits. Long and mushy pedal that only bites hard when you give it the big stamp.

 

For me, all that changed when hopping up to 330mm AP discs and the Pagid RS15. My god what a transformation. Night / Day better and extremely grunty and endless stopping power.

 

I've tried Ferodo DS2500, Yellowstuff and Pagid RS15 over 4 years of hard road use.

 

The DS2500 is competent, but not worth the money imo.

Yellowstuff, not recommended for road use!

Pagid RS15 - Just as many smiles per miles as boost :D It's an Epic pad :notworthy:

 

What size discs are you running? Do the Boxster rears have enough grunt to be stopping a 1250Kg VR6 as front stoppers?

 

It's hard to know what to suggest really. All I know is I've been completely underwhelmed by all te 288 & 312 combos and the AP 304mm setup. The 330 + RS15 combo is simply staggering.

[poll250 0]

Hmm thanks for the suggestions Kev. I've currently got 312mm VAG discs on the front.

 

My pedal seems to have a very short amount of travel before the ABS kicks in. Compared to my GFs 04 plate MR2 its ridiculously bad at pulling up.

 

I can't believe a bog standard MR2 with single piston callipers should stop better than a 4-pot setup of any description. I've never driven another VR to compare my pedal travel/feel with though I guess.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

312 VAG discs aren't that great I'm afraid but they'll do :D

 

Not sure I understand: A very short push and the ABS kicks in? The usual VR6 brake complaint is they just don't do bugger all unless you really stand on the pedal.

 

Are you saying the MR2 stops better / quicker with less pedal pressure? If so, then yep, that's the issue we've been discussing lately.

 

Another example. Mine now has 288s with VAG 1.8T Pads in it and they work OK, but the first inch of pedal travel is dead and does very little. The girlfriend's 06 Polo has the same brakes on it, and if I use the same pedal pressure in that car as mine, I end up head butting the windscreen!

[8vMatt 1]

I still haven't got round to changing over my poor pads :oops: I have some TRW poop that were cheap but used hard they fade like a scary thing :pale: When the spring time comes and I actually use the car again, I'm going to put some OE Brembo pads on that came with the calipers and use them up before looking at the really good stuff. Due to my mileage that could take some time!!! Kev recommended the Pagids to me months ago and seeing the love for them, reckon they could be worth it.

 

I think the Boxster rears would be one of the smaller calipers that Porsche do, you may have a point there Kev. Compared to the Cayenne rears, there's a big size diff :nuts:

Basically when changing the brakes, go for the biggest discs your budget allows I take it? Your 330mm's must be about the size limit Kev? Mine are only 7mm smaller :camp: :lol:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I still haven't got round to changing over my poor pads :oops: I have some TRW poop that were cheap but used hard they fade like a scary thing :pale: When the spring time comes and I actually use the car again, I'm going to put some OE Brembo pads on that came with the calipers and use them up before looking at the really good stuff. Due to my mileage that could take some time!!! Kev recommended the Pagids to me months ago and seeing the love for them, reckon they could be worth it.

 

I think the Boxster rears would be one of the smaller calipers that Porsche do, you may have a point there Kev. Compared to the Cayenne rears, there's a big size diff :nuts:

Basically when changing the brakes, go for the biggest discs your budget allows I take it? Your 330mm's must be about the size limit Kev? Mine are only 7mm smaller :camp: :lol:

 

Yeah shame the RS15s have seen a recent price hike. Hardly anyone was using them a few years ago when I bought mine and they were only £160 inc VAT. Now that they're more popular, they're expensive! Typical.

 

Personally I'd be looking at something along the lines of a 993 front caliper but I haven't seen a Boxster rear caliper up close and personal, so it's just a guess really :D It certainly wouldn't have the same grunt behind it as a front caliper and the piston sizes might not be appropriately sized for the VR6, but again, it's just a hunch.

 

330mm size limit? I reckon I could get 350mm under my 17s easily :D not sure AP do a 350mm disc though! But yeah, calipers and pads do the clamping force and disc diameter is where your braking torque comes from. The bigger, the better.....or if you're VAG, you just make the pad a lot bigger to increase friction instead :lol:

[poll250 0]

Perhaps I have an ABS issue then?

 

It just seems I have a very hard pedal, it's perfectly adequate for pulling me up etc but if I stamp on the brakes as hard as I can I still don't get any kind of sense of heading towards the windscreen and the ABS just kicks in.

 

HMM, maybe I should test stopping distances in a carpark or something!

 

I guess it could be that brake pedal distance sensor playing up?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

ABS pedal sensor issues usually show up as the ABS kicking in at very slow speeds, like pulling up to junctions at 10mph kind of thing.

 

If you're pushing hard on the pedal and there's no sense of braking power, sounds like the pads are a bit on the boring side and need hoiking out for something tastier :D

[lilfuzzer 1]

Any idea if the RS15 pads are available for a 312 set up as had a look and cant find any

 

cheers sorry to hi jack

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Nope! They're available for piddly little MK1 GTI calipers though :scratch:

 

I might email them tommorrow and ask if they're planning on making them for 288/312 calipers.

[lilfuzzer 1]

I did notice that for the mk1 also available for a 71 beetle too

[poll250 0]

I can't justify £235 for two pads at the moment (with a Racelogic and Turbo looming)

 

Although the RS15 may be the best out there, I think on this occasion the 2nd best will have to do me, so I reckon I'm going to order a set of DS2500s today :)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Some of that price is the "Porsche" mark-up you have to pay I'm afraid. Exact same pads for my AP calipers are £200. And oddly enough, performance pads for 288/312s are £200 and upwards aswell :?

 

Takes the p1ss. A few bits of coal and dust glued onto a steel plate :cuckoo:

[poll250 0]

Does anyone know the Ferodo DS2500 Part number for Boxster-S callipers? Brembo part 996-352-421 & 996-352-422 if thats any help.

 

I''ve been searching for a while and can't find it!

[Rob_B 0]

Takes the p1ss. A few bits of coal and dust glued onto a steel plate :cuckoo:

 

we could try making some :lol: don't think I would like to be the test pilot though! :brickwall:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I've got a christmas cake from 2 years ago that would probably make good brake pad material :lol:

[Rob_B 0]

I've got a christmas cake from 2 years ago that would probably make good brake pad material :lol:

 

you could soak it in alcohol prior to installation for the chav flame effect!

[poll250 0]

Just order a set of DS2500s from Camskill. For reference the part number is FCP1308H.

 

£110 delivered seems very good to me, just wish I'd ordered them a couple of days ago so I could of fitted them at the weekend!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

£110! Not bad, at all. They're £150 for 288s :bad-words:

 

Just been looking at the Ferodo compounds. DS3000 is the nearest thing to the Pagid RS15. Has a 0.62 friction at all temps. I've heard it squeals a lot and the dust is very aggressive (eats into wheel laquer).

 

Then I saw the DS3000 +03 which is 0.72 :shock: Now that's what I'm talking :D

[mic_VR 3]

£110! Not bad, at all. They're £150 for 288s :bad-words:

 

Just been looking at the Ferodo compounds. DS3000 is the nearest thing to the Pagid RS15. Has a 0.62 friction at all temps. I've heard it squeals a lot and the dust is very aggressive (eats into wheel laquer).

 

Then I saw the DS3000 +03 which is 0.72 :shock: Now that's what I'm talking :D

 

heard the same about the DS3000, eats the finish on your wheels unless you wash them after every trip out.

 

0.72 is just insane, it must be like hitting a slightly forgiving wall!

[poll250 0]

It must get to the stage where you're in danger of ripping the callipers off the hubs if they can grip that hard?!

 

DS2500s are 0.50

RS15s are 0.68

 

An average pad is 0.35 according to this: http://kmdtuning.com/news/2009/03/06/what-is-brake-coefficient/

 

12.9 tensile bolts all round me thinks!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

In a modern car a pad like that would probably be way too aggressive, but on the VR with it's crap pedal, an ultra sticky pad compensates, so it all balances out nicely.

 

Porsches etc are designed to transmit that massive stopping power to the tarmac effectively, but the Corrado will just lock up or trigger the ABS way before all of the available stopping power can be deployed.

[99hjhm 0]

Interesting topic.

 

I have a set of 996rears(Same as Boxster S' rears) for the front of my Lupo, The Lupo uses the same 54mm piston size as the 280/288/312 calipers. The Porsche piston area works out smaller!! Thats the reason you have no pedal travel. Your Boxster S' rears have 2x28mm and 2x30mm pistons per caliper, you can do the maths, I CBA, not that much smaller mind.

 

I spoke to Dave Brown(Brake God) he has sold dozens if not hundreds of sets of rear calipers for 312's and customers have been happy, and we decided the Lupo weighs a third less than a Mk4 Golf and I'm limited with size to 15" wheels(for winter), so 996 rears will be OK. I'm only using a 280mm G60 disc, but can swap to 305mm in the summer, using different brackets. but he admitted the piston size is small. Thats why i went for good discs(Brembo Max) and pagid pads.

 

As for pads... RS15's are not avaliable for the rear calipers are they? I went with RS4-2-1's, Dave B recommended them for road use, I have used Pagid pads in race cars and rate them as the best going. RS15's are a MUCH more stable pad than DS3000's, and will work from cold with less disc wear... Downside is the noise. Not fitted the Porsche calipers yet so this is still all just theory for me.

 

If your not limited with wheel size, you need to upgrade to 996 front calipers or simular. I have a set of Brembo's(Seat) that will go on, should these be totally useless. The Leon/Mk3 Ibiza Cupra R calipers use the same size pistons as the 996 fronts. 36 and 34mm? IIRC.

 

996 Turbo fronts will make it stop, but probably give poor pedal feel.

 

Something else is tyre grip, lack of that brings in the ABS.

[8vMatt 1]

Is there a reason why I can't find any details of anybody using the Cayenne 4pots I've got? There literally seems to be no-one else using them. I'm either feeling a bit special or people know something I don't! :shrug:

[dukest 0]

I have a set of 996rears(Same as Boxster S' rears) for the front of my Lupo, The Lupo uses the same 54mm piston size as the 280/288/312 calipers. The Porsche piston area works out smaller!! Thats the reason you have no pedal travel. Your Boxster S' rears have 2x28mm and 2x30mm pistons per caliper, you can do the maths, I CBA, not that much smaller mind.

I spoke to Dave Brown(Brake God) he has sold dozens if not hundreds of sets of rear calipers for 312's and customers have been happy

just did the maths and the 4pots work out at about 16% more piston area actually so not sure its that and also hence why dave recommends them so much afaik (albeit with at least 312 if not 325mm discs..)

 

996 Turbo fronts will make it stop, but probably give poor pedal feel.

and need 18" wheels so not really a go-er for corrados

 

Something else is tyre grip, lack of that brings in the ABS.

absolutely yes - i think the OP is closer with his poor pad or dodgy ABS theory. have you checked your ABS on VAG-Com mate?